Austin & Ally One-Shots REQUESTS OPEN
by Purle-Stream
Summary: Austin and Ally. Whether they make you laugh or cry, here you'll find an array of one-shots to appeal to every emotion (and every pairing) on the show. This compilation of one-shots looks at the Austin & Ally universe from every possible angle. REQUEST A ONE-SHOT, or read one-shots already here! Enjoy! :D
1. Introduction & Request Form

Hi everyone! Today you're reading this because you, like the vast majority of us, love auslly (or another pairing) on the show 'Austin & Ally' [just for the record, a show I _do not_ own]. This 'story' will be a compilation of all my one-shots, with addition to commissioned and requested one-shots you guys want to read.

**PAIRINGS**  
>These one-shots, based on the Austin &amp; Ally characters, delve into different fragments of their lives. Given, most of these will be 'auslly' fluff, but there will also be alternate pairings (like Gally, or Trez). Friendship one-shots will be marked with Austin + Ally, and relationship type ones are like Austin x Ally. Family ones will simply have their last names like 'Moon', 'Starr', 'Dawson', 'Wade' etc. (The name only denotes the focus of the story. Because, for example, a one-shot is fixed on Trace, it doesn't mean Dez won't appear in the story – it simply means that he won't be 'with' Trish).<p>

I'm happy to take requests for any pairings WITHIN THE SHOW (no Raura, Caini, or r5 inclusion). This is not because I don't adore the cast and the band, I do, I just think real people should live their real lives. But fictional characters? Let's go all out!

**GENRE/FORM  
><strong>Try and keep the requests clean, no smut would be appreciated. Swears may be used (there will be forewarning before each one-shot) but beyond that, it will stay relatively clean.

A whole lot of people have niches when it comes to writing. Mine happens to be personalised tragedy. I simply like to write sad stories, in an open and honest way. (Like letters, or deep internal narration). In my opinion, they give the best one-shots because they explore all facets of emotions, and enable the characters to speak more openly about how they feel.

Most of these stories will be AU (alternate universe) but some may extend to what we've seen on television already, some may be slight re-writes of episodes or some could be events occurring after a certain episode (like writing about what Ally did after she and Austin broke up in Couples & Careers). One shots will also include song fics, and unexplained back-stories (like Lester and Penny's divorce, why Austin doesn't have siblings, the exact moment Dez knew he wanted to be a director etc etc).

**REQUESTS**  
>Like I've mentioned, I will be writing my own one-shots from my own ideas, but I'm more than happy to accommodate ideas from you guys! I will be taking requests, so if you have a fantasy you wish to see unfurl (from any ship on the show) I'd be happy to write it for you!<p>

For those of you whom are familiar with me on this site, you'll know that I'm probably the laziest writer ever. Sometimes I update, sometimes I don't. I kind of suck. But that's why this one-shot thing is such a good idea – I can write it, and it's done. So this is the benefit of one-shots, they are easier to read, get to the heart of an issue a lot faster, and you won't be nabbed, waiting for an ending.

Okay, now to the part you really care about – requests. I have a specific form for requesting one-shots, and that's only so I can make the story as true to your desires as possible.

**Type**: What is the orientation for the story? Is it family, friendship, or romance?  
><strong>Form<strong>: How, and if, the one-shot relates to the TV sohw. This means asking you to distinct if the story is an AU, re-write, backstory, song fic, before/afters (if rewrite, before/afters or back story, mention to which episode.)  
><strong>Ship<strong>/s: If romance, what are the characters that are the couple? (Auslly, trez, trace.. etc)  
><strong>Characters<strong>: If AU, specify how the characters are different. Also write which characters you want included in the one-shot.  
><strong>Plot<strong>: Pretty simple – what you want me to write about. Be as detailed as possible.  
><strong>Mood<strong>: What do you want to feel whilst reading the story? Do you want to feel all cute and lovey? Sad? Angry?  
><strong>Anything else?:<strong> Any extra details or something that I really must include or add (like saying Ally's a vegetarian?) or anything like that.

Here's an example one I've filled out:  
><strong>Type<strong>: Romance

**Form**: AU

**Ship**/s: Auslly

**Characters**: Season 1. Ally's really shy, and Austin is childish.  
><strong>Plot<strong>: Austin and Ally have never met. Austin enters the store, Sonic Boom, wanting to buy a guitar.  
><strong>Mood<strong>: Sweet, romantic

**Anything else?:** Ally's songbook somehow factors into it

_(just to ensure you guys can trust me, I'll give you an example to a plot I may pull from this request). _

IIIIIIIIIIIIIIII

_"Ally humming to herself, whilst scribbling into her songbook. She's on break at the store, while another young employee works the register. The lunch time rush booms, and Ally simply watches it all, her book in hand. Seeing the employee inundated with work, she decides to go over and help the flailing girl, when someone runs straight into her. Ally's book goes flying, as the man runs off in a hurry. A mess on the floor, Austin helps her up, her book in his hands. _

_"I'm quite the catch," he winks, laughing at his joke. Pragmatic Ally freaks out and snatches the book from him. Bewildered, Ally apologises for her odd behaviour. _

_Ally assists Austin in choosing a guitar, Ally's book glued to her hand. They have an earnest conversation about their love of music, Ally's stage-fright, and Austin becomes sympathetic. Ally takes over the register to cash in the guitar, and feels gutted that Austin leaves the store. Without another word, he's gone. At the end of the day, Austin returns after having thought non-stop about Ally, and takes her book. She screams, and he writes a cute note inside, his number included. Austin writes, "I've never written a song before, but tonight I will. And it will be about you." With a smile that makes Ally's heart melts, Austin once again leaves the store. With a skip in his step, Austin leaves the mall, his face frozen in a smile. "_

**REQUEST FORM:**

**Type**:  
><strong>Form<strong>:  
><strong>Ship<strong>/s:  
><strong>Characters<strong>:  
><strong>Plot<strong>:  
><strong>Mood<strong>:  
><strong>Anything else?:<strong>

Some people may want to see genuine moments come to life through writing, and want to see how other people would envision the event. Some others, however, may want to taunt me with ridiculous and unfathomed plots just to see what straws I can grasp to. For example, someone may request a 'trez' story CENTRED around a ladder. Wow, how boring? Are they just in a tool shed, looking at a ladder? For those of you who want funnier stories, or want to really see me put my wits to the test, I encourage you to give me weird requests like this! They can be quite entertaining. For example, using my aforementioned ladder story, I would probably do something like this – IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII  
><em>"Dez had always been afraid. Standing there with Trish at that moment really intensified this for him. The ladder towered over the pool, leading to the diving board. His friends wanted him to jump, he did too – but he was afraid. Trish laughed at him, but her laughing stopped when he retorted "no height on that ladder will stop you from being a little person!". The bickering turns to nurturing as Trish guides Dez up the ladder. At the peak, many people balloon below, waiting for him to dive. Dez <em>

_doesn't want to. Until Trish shows him there's nothing to be afraid of. They jump off together, as Dez hollers with fear. They rise to the top of the water, and Trish merely smirks at him. "You did it, I'm so proud of you." They hug earnestly. Silence envelops them, as Trish realises what she just said. "Uh, you doof!" She proceeds to punch him in the arm, but Dez continues to smile. Today he dived off the board, but maybe he'll string together the courage to tell her how he really feels. _

_One day."_

That's actually not a bad plot, is it? (Well, it kinda is, but still...) Send me all your desires and fantasies, with addition to seemingly impossible requests, and let's see what I can do!

**Type**:  
><strong>Form<strong>:  
><strong>Ship<strong>/s:  
><strong>Characters<strong>:  
><strong>Plot<strong>:  
><strong>Mood<strong>:  
><strong>Anything else?:<strong>

^^^ request-y form of destiny

So that is _definitely_ enough from me today. On the next chapter will be a list of all the one-shots, with a brief one/two sentenced synopsis of each one-shot to see if you'd enjoy reading them. So guys, get requesting, and I'll work to put up all these one-shots in due time!

Thanks, everyone! J


	2. One-Shot Index

**INDEX**  
>Each story to be featured in this one-shot collection will have a brief synopsis to appear in this index. The stories mentioned are posted in the order they read. If a story mentioned in this index isn't uploaded yet, it will be 1-2 days.<p>

NAME 1 NAME 2 = friendship one-shot  
>NAME 1 <strong>x<strong> NAME 2 = relationship one-shot

* * *

><p>THE AIR WE BREATH (<strong>T<strong>)  
><em>Dez x Trish<em>  
><span>Requested by SassyRaptor<br>Trish was getting over her break-up, Dez over his. Dez needed a project to get over it, but Trish wouldn't do it – she couldn't swim. So his mission was set – Dez was going to get Trish in the water. Are both missions doomed to sink, or will something beautiful rise to the surface?

WILTING (**T**)  
><em><span>Austin + Ally<span>_  
>A lot of things were on Austin's mind, but when Ally disappears from school for a couple of days he seeks out answers. But when he finds her tucked away on her couch, he comes to realise the things on her mind are far more damaging than he could have imagined.<p>

UNDER THE COVERS (**T**)  
><em>Austin x Ally<em>  
><span>Requested by AustinAndAllyForeverX<br>The road is a perfect place to be lost in your thoughts. That is, for everyone but Ally Dawson. The stretch of highway to her first national tour is more than bumpy when nightmares plague her night after night. With Austin to console her, can she fight the darkness in her dreams?

HOUDINI (**T**)  
><em>Dez x Trish<em>  
><span>Requested by SakuraSpark<br>All J.J. De La Rosa wanted was to learn from the best. The con-artist not only rejected him, but put him in the hospital. Trish is seeking blood, vengeance – but Dez doesn't want that to happen. With a botched revenge plot concocted in a bar, can Dez persuade Trish to let it go? Or will Trish let retribution take hold?

DAY TO DAY (**T**)  
><em>Dez x CarrieJace x Trish_  
><span>Requested by Moodberg<span>  
>There are no conventions when it comes to being in a relationship, and this group of friends is the perfect example. Long distance and routine are challenges these couples are willing to face. In day to day life, can they stand up against the test and love each other, time after time?<p>

BOUNCE (**T**)  
><em><span>Austin x Ally<span>_  
>Ally spent a lot of time reminiscing about Austin Moon, her former best friend. High school changed him, and they drifted apart – in a big way. But what would happen if the keen senses of her dog would lead Ally right back to where it all began?<p>

IN MY EYES (**T**)  
><em>Dez x Trish<em>  
><span>Requested by angelicx<span>  
>Christmas time beckons again, and Trish is all out getting Austin's show ready for the thousands of Miami patrons waiting to hear him perform. The only problem? Dez feels like he's losing Trish to his best friend. Can he confess his feelings to her before his jealousy eats him whole?<p>

ELECTRIC (**T**)  
><em>Austin + Ally + Dez + Trish<em>  
><span>Requested by ShakeNBake<span>  
>It was an average Saturday morning, and the gang had just stirred from their slumber after staying at Ally's. All was going well... until Dez texted his dog - his robotic dog. The gang realised too late that electronic dogs don't have leashes.<p>

WHAT BECAME OF US (**T**)  
><em>Austin x Ally Dez x Trish_  
><span>Requested by Ghostly<span>  
>Heavy breathing, trembling hands, a grave site, a mausoleum. Ally had never believed in evil, but when the boys get themselves into a trouble she couldn't imagine, it was up to her and Trish to get them out. Albeit, getting them out is not the problem... the problem is getting them out before it's too late.<p>

HEROES IN CAPES (**M**) for adult themes: suicide  
><em><span>Dez x Trish<br>_Dez had his world crumble around him when his beloved sister committed suicide. He then vowed to do what so many had failed to, to stand up to bullies. Donning a mask, Dez becomes a superhero watching over the entire school. With so much time fixated on the girl he likes, will he have time to save himself?

THE FALL (**T**)  
><em>Austin x Ally<em>  
><span>Requested by HotXBun<span>  
>A lot of effort goes into writing a song, Ally knows that. She is waiting for inspiration to strike her, to write another hit for her eagerly awaited debut album. To find the lyrics she needs, she does what any inspiring musician does – flip through her diary and draw ideas from the life she has lived. This is how 'Parachute' came to be.<p> 


	3. The Air We Breathe - Trez

THE AIR WE BREATH (**T**)  
><em>Dez x Trish<em>  
><span>Requested by SassyRaptor<span>  
>Trish was getting over her break-up, Dez over his. Dez needed a project to get over it, but Trish wouldn't do it – she couldn't swim. So his mission was set – Dez was going to get Trish in the water. Is his plan doomed to sink, or will something beautiful rise to the surface?<p>

**{Trish's POV}**

The stains on the table reminded me of the time I worked here. My hands ran along the frame, sparkling with condensed water that had spilled over the edges of fragmented glass. It used to be my job to clean these messes, although I seldom did it. I missed Shredders in a way.

The free hamburgers were great.

The screen of my phone lit up like stars in the night, only to begin shaking violently. Two o'clock, right on the dot. Well, he's consistent - I'll give him that.

The calls had been flooding my phone for days now. The shrill monotonous ring is now my background music, constantly on repeat in the back of my mind. Sometimes he called to apologise, others just to see if I'd answer. I never did. I couldn't let him know I was still thinking about him, yearning to find myself back in his arms. After all, he chose her over me – I shouldn't consider him at all.

With bated breath, I slammed the device onto the cold carbonate surface. Jace's picture continued to blink against the Caller ID, but his pearly whites weren't enough to lure me back now. Like whenever Jace was on my mind, I found it impossible to breath. The air was restricted, and refused to let me move on.

"Out of the way, people! Important cargo!" A familiar voice screamed from behind, racing across the tables in a blur.

I watched with disdain as Dez traipsed through Shredders, avoiding waitresses and customers alike. One couple, sharing a jug of punch, looked at him curiously. _Big mistake_. A second later, Dez engulfed the camera in his hands into their drink.

"What are you doing?!" The man hollered in a vocalised anger, rising from his seat.

"Oh, don't worry - the camera's water proof." Dez reassured, looking at the lens through the red liquid.

With a sigh, I jumped to my feet, and went over to get my friend out of harm's way... as always.

"You'll have to excuse my friend here..." I began, looking at the red head with contempt. "He has a lot of issues, if you know what I mean." I whispered to the girl, who gave me a look of sympathy. A childish smile highlighting Dez' features as I dragged him away from the scene of his crime.

We shared a moment in silence. Reverently rubbing his new toy against his shirt, the red liquid oozed off the lining of the device and stained the corner of his yellow shirt. I only stood there, shaking my head. With a few checks of the camera, Dez shot me an earnest smile.

"What are you doing, like, _right now_?" Dez enquired, his smile twisted in a mischievous grin. The question went unanswered, as I persevered with tugging him along the coast line, putting as much distance between Shredders and us as possible.

"Well, I'm not meeting any clients today, so nothing?" His piqued interest concerned me, like he always did.

The summer's breeze encapsulated me. I'd always liked the beach – the tanning, the hot guys. Not to mention the ice cream. But there were only so many things to do at the beach that don't involve the ocean, which we were edging sceptically closer to. I settled a few steps behind Dez, careful to watch where he was now leading us.

With miles of coast spread to either side of us, Dez stiffened and revolts to a stop. He admired the view of an ombre sun, taking off his shoes to allow the sand granules to caress his skin. For once, he looked at peace, perhaps even _staid_.

"Right," with lips pursed and arms hugging his waist, Dez looked at me with gravity. "Okay, get in the water Trish." Dez began prodding his new camera in my face.

"AHHH! No, Dez, I'm not taking orders from a dork like you! I'm not going in the water!" I was shaking violently, as the ripples of the ocean jutted into the coast. The ribbons of kelp washed away with the tide, never to be seen again. I began to shiver, despite the rising heat.

"Oh come on, please? I really want to test out this new camera, and I need an actress." Dez fell to his knees, his hands bent upwards in a prayer. I scoffed, looking at his feeble expression.

I was keen for a distraction at that point, so I tried to coerce the conversation into a new direction. "Why did you buy a new camera anyway? What was wrong with your old one?"

"The other one wasn't water proof. Now it's resistant to my tears." Part of me thought he was joking, but the other part stirred the memory of Dez' own break-up. He and Carrie split when he chose to come back to Miami. To be fair, Jace cheating on me was far more taxing, but I probably should I have said something about it.

Well, too late now.

I had used many excuses in my lifetime, for an array of different things. Assignments, days off work – if there was a job that required lies to get you out of stuff, heck, I'd be the boss. But looking at Dez, his eyes bent inward and examining mine in a haze, I found it very hard to spin a lie that could actually convince him.

"Dez, uh, I can't.. I look like a manatee in the water!"

"I love manatees!"

"My make-up will run!"

"It will look dramatic!"

"Not that you need help with that." Dez muttered under his breath, which I ignored.

Now I was actually clutching at straws. With the camera strapped to his hand and his pants rolled up to the knees, Dez looked ready for business. My heart hammered as I spat out lie after lie. "Uh... there are sharks in the ocean!"

"NNRRAAAARGGGGGGH!" Dez screamed into the sea, the violent blue of the water bouncing the sound back to us. I gave him a look with my eyebrows furrowed, I wasn't impressed.

"Don't worry, I told them to scram." He shrugged, as if talking to sharks was a daily occurrence.

Silence enveloped us once again. I actually was thankful that I needn't fill the void with more lies. I hated lying to Dez. Not just about this, but in general. All our little innuendos where I critic his hair, mock his very character... I'm kind of getting sick of being that girl.

Ruptures of the water overlapping caught my attention. My eyes trained to the scene, I felt the sickle liquid washing over me, encapsulating me in its' grasp and taking my breath. I began shaking, my legs pumping underneath me without my permission. I can't do this.

"Trish!" Dez called after me, bringing me to a grinding halt. With my back to him, I find my hands have turned to fists, as they swing vocationally to each side.

"Trish?" He repeats himself, gentler this time. He rests a hand on my shoulder, as I turn around. His eyes search me with an intensified worry and doubt. He looked truly rattled. "You're afraid of the water, aren't you?"

"Whaat? Are you crazy? What sort of lunatic is scared of the water?" I quivered, my voice rising and dropping like the sea level itself. I inserted a forced laugh to try and alleviate the doubt I've cratered within myself. It doesn't work. "No, I'm scared of drowning." I finally admitted.

The revelation caused Dez to inch closer. I backed away before he could wrap his arms around me.

"Uh, I have something to show you." His voice fluctuated in a tremor, now unsure of himself. It was now me following Dez, as he led me across the platinum sands to a formation in the distance. The salted air swirled all around, filling my nose with its tangy aroma. I clenched my eyes shut, only following the directions Dez gives. I didn't have the strength to think about the water again.

We came to a stop, and I made myself pry my eyes open. In front of me is a rock pool, hidden through the knee-deep waters. I looked to Dez, the fury overriding my clarity.

"What the hell are you thinking? I can't go through that!" I screeched, shoving Dez into the water. He landed with a thud, droplets rising above him in a warning. At first, he flailed in the shallow waters, slapping the surface to regain control. Dez' eyes met mine – and he bursted out into laughter.

"Huh?" I spluttered out, confused.

"See, Trish, I'm not hurt. The water won't hurt you." Dez now looked like a sea urchin, his hair pointed out in all directions. His outfit was a mess, and a bag of his stuff now sat on the beach, covered in sand.

I tried to fight it; but I felt a small smile creep onto my features.

"I'll walk you through the water, and over to that rock pool. Trust me Trish; I won't let anything happen to you."

His sincerity blanketed the nagging feeling tugging me back to shore. I drew a breath, and found Dez looking expectantly at me. My lips pursed in hesitation, I questioned my choice. What should I do? There's nothing more stunning than a rock pool – but to what lengths would I battle to go see it?

Before long, I found my hand entwined with his, as my ankles became engulfed in water.

"You're doing great." Dez encouraged, smiling despite how hard I held onto him.

"EYES ON THE WATER, DEZ!" I shrieked, whilst Dezs chuckle coincided with the calls of a gull overhead.

Dez coached me through the entire thing. He counted me in, and when he forgot the numbers, he named innocent animals. His idiocy actually served as a distraction, and by the time I felt the water sweltering at my knees, Dez helped pull me up onto the rock bank. The maroon surface was rough to touch, and I cringed as my skin grazed the monument.

"You made it." Dez applauded, positioning himself in a way to which one foot dangled carelessly into the depths of the water.

"Yeah, I did..." I trailed off, keen to put that chapter behind me.

Small groves became evident in the rocks. Crustaceans and sea-life jittered within the salt water, aligned with glistening stones and shells. Instantly a starfish caught Dez' attention, and he protruded a hand to let the marine life to situate itself on him.

"Is that wise?" I cautioned, the starfish glowing with an innate hubris.

"Probably not." Dez shrugged, bringing the life form out of the water. Whilst the star-fish grew comfortable in the folds of Dez' hands, I found myself skimming the water with my fingers, having them delicately dance across the glistening surface.

"I never learned to swim, that's why I'm afraid." I exhaled, making sure not to meet Dez' eye. I could feel his eyes trained to my back, drilling millions of questions into my being.

"How can you be scared of something so... beautiful?" My hair whipped the water's surface as I went to meet his eye.

"It's always the beautiful things that hurt us the most..." My mind projected images of Jace when the words rolled off my tongue, closure eluding me.

"I have an idea." Dez grinned, as a hermit crab latched onto his hand. "AAAAAHHHHHHRRRGGG!" He cried, tears welling up in his eyes. I reciprocate his pain with laughter, until I brought myself to knock the crustacean off his purple flesh.

"What were you saying?"

The sun was due to set into the horizon long ago, but fate had granted us more time. I waded across the surface of the water, Dez standing by. He trusted himself to teach me how to swim, which I thought was stupid, but he ensured me he wasn't. A perfect stillness fell across the water, allowing optimal timing for an endeavour like this. The only real issues we had involved rocks hidden under the sea, or the sea-weed adamant to wrap its' slimy tails around Dez' leg.

We maintained position just behind the rock pools, meaning I was now waist deep in the ocean. It took Dez about an hour to coax me into the water at all, but his perseverance was sure paying off – I was actually doing something now.

The sunlight rolled off the water, flickering slightly in accordance to our movements. The sun bore down harshly on Dez, a permanent crimson staining his cheeks. He looked flustered and uncomfortable, still, he stayed with me.

"Which one was backstroke again?" Dez scratched his head, and I splashed him playfully in reply.

"The one where you're on your back."

"Oh."

The final stroke he was left to teach me, I found my heart faltering when Dez grew closer. "Backstroke? Dez, do I have to learn that one?" Anxiety ate at me, as my arms floated on the water.

Dez simply nodded, hovering at my side. He instructed me to lie like that starfish in the rock pool, but I struggled. My legs always dipped into the placid waves, meaning I didn't float. This caused my head to bob underneath the sea, to which I panicked and scramble for air.

In form of a solution, Dez wrapped his arms around my torso, forcing my body to stay afloat. His anatomy meant his head dangled right above mine, as he fixed my position. I found that his touch was welcome, that his grasp invited a thousand little electric shocks wherever he grazed my body. The arch of my back encouraged Dez to cling on longer, and both of us were suspended in time.

"You know what? I'm tired. Let's go." I stuttered, ducking under water before I allowed myself to invite any more emotions into my mind. Dez awkwardly propped his arm in his hair, and the two of us ambled back to shore.

"I miss Carrie."

The statement caught me off guard. We birth back onto the shore, and the sand clinged to our figures. Dez heaved the burden of the world.

"Do you talk to her?" I questioned awkwardly, unsure if I should enter this territory. I felt odd talking about her, like she wasn't welcome in a conversation where the two of us were involved.

"Well, she's already moved on..." Dez chucked a shell back into the ocean, as I collapsed on his towel with him. "I don't want to talk to her that much anymore."

I wish I was where he was, in his shoes.

"Wow, at least Jace and Carrie had a sense of timing so we could grieve together." I joked, rubbing shoulders with Dez.

"I don't want to grieve..." he whispered, inching in towards me. "I want to mo-"

We both froze.

"Uh, I'll be right back." Dez contributed awkwardly, and scrambled to his feet and ambled off into the distance. I found myself still stuck in the position we were in moments prior. What was happening to the two of us?

All of a sudden, my phone began beeping adamantly. With a groan and a gut-wrenching feeling, a few messages (and Jace's smug contact picture) beamed at me. All the messages were of the usual variety, the '_I am sorry'_, the classic '_I made a mistake_', and the ever-revolting '_you're the only girl for me!_'.

Listening to the crisp drumming of the water folding within itself, I scrolled through my contacts. The names blared at me through the artificial light until I found Jace's. With one swipe, I pressed hard on the red button. I deleted Jace's number from my phone.

A jovial tune revibrated in the distance, as Dez danced towards me. I laughed, but not in a mocking or commandeering way – I was enjoying myself. Dez fell back to my side, two ice creams in hand. He gave one to me, and faced back to the ocean.

My eyes lit up as I scanned the desert. My favourite flavour, as well. Dez knew me pretty well.

I enjoyed the treat, as my head fell to Dez' shoulder. The comfort of home radiates within as we both stared aimlessly out to the horizon, with no particular thought in mind. The waves continued to crash into the shore, pelicans persist in swooping overhead and the sun consistently lowers itself into the night.

The twilight was a beautiful thing. In that moment, the light caught a metallic surface tucked away within Dez' backpack... his camera.

In that moment I realised – despite what he said, what he tried to portray, his true intention with me today was never about testing his camera.

I felt like I could breathe again.


	4. Wilting - Auslly

WILTING (**T**)  
><em><span>Austin + Ally<span>_  
>A lot of things were on Austin's mind, but when Ally disappears from school for a couple of days he seeks out answers. Eventually, he finds her tucked away on her couch and he comes to realise the things on her mind are far more damaging than he could have imagined.<p>

**{Austin's POV}**

Her voice echoes through my ears, ringing like the bells during a church sermon. The memory of her words, melodic, sing a song that my heart isn't ready to hear.

_"I'm okay, Austin. I'll be right back."_

_ "I've just got a little headache."_

_"It's no big deal, I'll just see the nurse."_

_"Austin, calm down. It's a nose bleed; it's not the end of the world. I'll be fine, trust me."_

_"I'll see you tomorrow, okay?"_

Everything she said was a lie.

My sandwich sits untouched at the table, my friends' expressions laced with concern. The school cafeteria is teaming with howling sports-players, piling more food on their plate than really their share, and the quiet students whom slink to the back, begging not to be noticed. The air continues to be metallic as I stare at the spot she should be sitting. Four days, it's been. Four entire days.

"Are you going to eat that?" Dez asks hesitantly, edging in to snatch my food.

My mind is lost on a route of its own, giving Dez the permission to take the sandwich from my tray. No sooner when Dez takes it does Trish steal it from him. She promptly shoves it in her mouth, so Dez can't retaliate.

"I'm sure she's fine." Trish sways her hand in a reaffirming gesture, as Dez salivates with a sorrowful lust as Trish shovels the last of my untouched lunch into her mouth.

I'd always hated the word 'fine'. If were to draw the definition within this context, the word 'fine' means the complete opposite of fine.

I have geography next, a class I hate. It also happens to be the only class that she's not in with me on a Thursday. Well, the former would be true if I'd seen her at all this week, which I hadn't.

I am really worried about Ally.

"You know, I was thinking I should start advertising swimming lessons for fish." Dez, completely unfazed by the anarchic hollowness at the table, babbles on.

Trish turns to him in a blatant shock at his stupidity, like she couldn't believe his IQ had sunk lower than it was. "Fish already know how to swim, you doof."

"Yeah, but the babies don't. Duh." The two bicker indistinctly, as the panorama of the cafeteria starts to fade into charcoal blurs and adjacent lines. All I hear is the erratic beating of my heart, sending my brain a Morse code of what I really want to do.

"I think I'm going to leave now."

Trish and Dez stop fighting. I don't bother discarding the filthy wrappers I've left on the table. I bear my back to my friends and make a beeline to the door before they can race to me with protest. It's a known fact that Mr. Morrison isn't fond of me, and my sloping grades alleviate what little hope my parents have of me doing well this year. But for once, I don't care what my parents say. There are some things far more important than a mark on a paper.

Maybe that terrifying statement will bring Ally back to me.

"Austin!" The duo holler from behind me, but it's too late. My arms extend to push the door open, and I'm out before I can articulate another thought about what I'm going to do.

I double over, panting. Small beads of sweat travel along my follicles, my mouth gasping for more oxygen. I stand before Ally's house in a quiet suburbia, cars gently zooming past, the drivers continuing with their relatively peaceful days.

Ally doesn't have much of a garden on her block. Her mother was the green thumb of the family, and now that she's not with them, the flowers have entwined into a beautiful menagerie of colour and prosperity. Even for a plant, they are free to form to what their will demands, not what a gardener instructs them to.

I tread down the walkway to her front door, exhausted from the forty minute run from school. Looking back in hindsight, I probably could have caught a bus, but it feels more legitimate that I travelled all this way for answers. I mean, she has to be here after all I've put myself through.

I leap over the raised platform to head straight to the door, but it opens before I can knock. Lester, dressed to the toe in the finest clothing he owns, scrambles out of the house and bounds down the pathway. He catapults himself into his car in the driveway, and zooms around the corner before I can even blink. The sight of Lester in a tux is etched onto my vision.

The door is left hanging ajar, moving swiftly with the zephyr wind. Seeing no use in knocking, I allow myself in and shut the door behind me. I mean, this place _is_ like a third home to me (the second being Sonic Boom).

I tread lightly over the floorboards, an orchestra of creaking announcing my presence to anyone in the house. I find myself at the ashen archway to see the lounge room. Normally there is never a pillow out of place, since Ally hates to see things so disorganised. Today, pillows are strewn about the floor like leaves of their own will in the autumn breeze.

My feet anchor themselves in the archway, as Ally's eyes meet mine. Her frame, petite, looks sullen and frail. Her skin clings to her body with the iridescence of a swan's feather, smooth to touch and without a blemish. Her darkened hair looks faux in the deplorably lit room, the curtains drawn at unsymmetrical angles. With her legs tucked under her like an animal, the blanket covers everything from the waist down like the water birds glide across. Her maroon couch looks like a rabid monster, about to swallow her whole.

Words elude us as we both stare at each other intently. The book Ally was invested in now falls into her lap. The whistling of the birds outside is the only reminder to each of us that time hasn't frozen. I dare to walk in closer, to take a closer look.

If I'm being honest, I thought she'd look worse. To be away for so long meant something gravely erroneous was to be transpiring. She looks only to be suffering a cold. Well, the only indicator to suggest otherwise is her dark, dour eyes. They no longer sparkle with the optimism and hope I always know them to burn with. Trust me, I have lost hours staring into those eyes – I'm an expert.

Still, for so little time gone, Ally had already missed out on so much. For example, the official date for the prom was announced. Trish got a haircut. I did so-so on the maths test (which is relatively good if you look at my record).

Suddenly, my relief morphs into a violent and ugly anger. Ally sits on her couch, as healthy as a daisy, while I've been perturbing for days. She didn't have the decency to answer my texts, my calls. She obviously wasn't at school. She made no contact or bothered to tell me what was going on...

"Hi." Ally offers feebly, slipping a strand of russet hair behind her ear.

My rage simmers into a slew of discontent and stress, as I sit atop the ottoman right next to her. I run my hands along the buttons pressed into the furniture, doing my best to put on a straight face. I don't want Ally to know how annoyed I am right now.

"You've been gone... for days." I point out simply, my brows meandering inwards.

Ally looks remorseful at the fact, only to fixate to the clock ticking on the wall. I hadn't heard it when I walked into the room, but now the rhythmic ticking of the clock is all that fills my mind.

"Shouldn't you be at school?" Ally quakes, alert with concern once realising the time.

"I could say the same." I retort, crossing my arms across my chest.

Silence blankets us like the harshness of a snow storm. Words seem to surface on her tongue, yet sound escapes her.

"You...you've been ignoring me, Ally." I try to sound threatening, annoyed. Maybe our friendship would be enough to make Ally want to tell me the truth. But before I can splutter out a word, the thickness inhabits my throat. It feels as though acid is bubbling within me, warning me. Ally sees the pain projected so clearly on my face.

"I didn't know what to say... I'm so sorry, Austin."

'Hello is always a good way to go,' I snide to myself.

Ally starts to twiddle her thumbs, unable to meet my eye. I know she wants to say something, she has that look. There aren't a lot of things that strip Ally of her vocality - all she does is talk. I'm happy to oblige her, help her get her mouth running.

"Why was your dad in a penguin suit? It's like, two in the afternoon."

"My dad, well, he got another job. He plays at restaurants and bars, simple piano pieces. We need the money and you know, he plays. Yeah, it's just... greaty great great." A little of the Ally I know starts to shine through again. What I don't see from her though, the amount of character hidden within a cloud, concerns me. Yet, what concerns me more is the billowing expenses that now Lester is struggling to pay for. Where on earth was this new cost being incurred?

"Ally, what's going on?"

The question cuts her down to the core. She starts to quiver, her pale, delicate hand fanning at an invisible demon residing within her. It is then that I notice the exuberant red rimming around her eyes, marred by a pain I cannot see.

"My headache isn't the reason I'm here. Well, not really." Ally's voice breaks, rising to levels it shouldn't. The bottom of her eyes begin to glimmer with fresh tears, her bottom trembling in tune with a metronome.

I take the cue and do what I probably should have done the second I got here. I move myself right over to her, on the couch. I hunker down into the vast space to the left her frail figure, and tightly wrap my arm around her. My hand directs her eyes to mine, and I drill her with questions. Yet, they remain unspoken. I hearten her with warmth, love. A purity I know she's capable of seeing.

"Right, well, here I go." She stutters through her tears, churning my stomach and leaving them in knots. Finally, Ally is ready to tell her story.

"Well, when dad picked me up in the nurse's station after you dropped me off, he was pretty eager to take me to the doctors. And not because of me, he thought I was fine, he just wanted the free candies they serve you at the front desk." Ally laughs nostalgically, falling helplessly to my shoulder.

"The waiting room was stuffy. Fans whirled in the corners and all these old women were flicking through pages of vogue and complaining about their scantily clad outfits. Dad was cutting out articles. We got in pretty early for a doctor, with small thanks to dad's coupon he managed to swindle the elderly receptionist with.

"Yeah, dad just told him what had happened, you know, the headache and nosebleed. I first grew concerned when the doctor ordered us out of his office, and to the hospital. So we travelled there, unsure to what was going on, when they starting scanning me. All these different machines, just beeping right in my face. I was beyond confused, really. I missed being at school. I missed _you_."

The clock strikes the hour, chiming. A sparse tear rolls down her cheek, and I tremor as I wipe it off her face. Her skin looks bleached, even her trademark rosy cheeks fail to make an appearance. Ally's copy of 'My Sister's Keeper' falls to the floor.

"Austin, I can't beat around the bush anymore. I'm a lot sicker than you, well, _we_ thought."

"Well... what is it?" My mind jumps immediately to the pretty grim possibilities. You know, MS, diabetes, ALS, Parkinson's. I don't have an extensive knowledge of illnesses, but I do know that there are millions of ways you can die.

Ally opens her mouth, as my heart falters right within my chest. I see her lips moving, I hear the echo at the back of my mind, but no earthly possibility can tie those things to Ally. No, it's not possible. It can't be possible.

"It's cancer, Austin."

_No_. _No_!

For once, I'm not ashamed to admit how intolerably I took the news. My mouth screams in that awful starchy cry – I am unable to make a sound, except the sickly choking sound of too many tears aching to get out. I don't know if I fall into Ally's arms, or she falls into mine – all I know is that we are pressed together and share the grief that rocks us.

Too much time passes. Leaves dangle like some sort of twisted bait, taunting Ally in the very place she calls home.

I try to talk to her, but whenever I try to say something, I just cry. I sort of understand why Ally hesitated to call me back now.

So time passes like it always does – too soon. I aim to make something of my time, but instead, I waste every moment I have with her just bawling my eyes out like a kid who just dropped an ice cream cone. It's not a pretty sight, and the _noise_.

I know it's so selfish of me to be so upset on her behalf. That when Ally started to fill me in on the details of this new life obstacle she found herself hurdling.

The tumour residing within her brain was pressing heavily on cognitive function and memory. If not treated properly soon, Ally wouldn't have anything left. She wouldn't have her breathtaking voice, or the memories she had of performing all around Miami.

She wouldn't even remember me.

That's when she tells me of the ninety percent mortality rate.

"That's nine out of ten people's chance of surviving. That's really good!" I try to act capricious, but the tears shatter any facade I'm trying to project.

Ally only looks awkward.

"Austin, that's not what mortality means..." She drifts off, as my eyes widen in horror.

"You mean... you only have one in ten chance?" I throttle a pillow, sending it flying across the room. The senseless act of violence as Ally sitting up straight now. I would be crying right now, ,but it seems all the tears I had have been used up. I'm all out.

"Everything's going to change now, isn't it?"

Everything in our joint livelihoods have been a constant. Our hangout spots, Shredders and Sonic Boom, our shared love of melody and song – even our friendship group. It's always been us, and nothing has ever deviated from that. But now... it has. That's when I really see the ripple effect begin to radiate waves.

"I'll probably have to drop out of school, you know, just for a little while. Hey, you can drop off homework to me!" Ally beams at that last part, earning a roll of my eyes. A small chuckle follows. "But this doesn't mean I'll be out of your life, Austin. Although you probably want me to once things start to change..."

My mind numbs when those poisonous words leak from Ally's cherry lips. "Ally, what are you saying?"

"I'm... I'm going to be different too," Ally begins, contemplating all she's encompass in the times to come. "I'll be ugly, alright? All I will be is walking sickness that secretes this air of ugliness and death and too little hope. I will be hideous. You don't need to subject yourself to something toxic like that."

I find myself moving away from Ally, but not for the reason you'd think.

"I cannot believe you Ally – to say such a thing. I'm sorry, but I'm not leaving your side. I'm in this with you, for this entire thing. And when you get better, you'll see it was worth it – because I'm not giving up on you, Ally Dawson. Every single day I'll be here to remind you how radiant you look, and how truly beautiful you are within. Because your beauty isn't derived from make-up, your hair – you'll look just as beautiful in a hospital gown.

An impulse comes to mind, as I run away from Ally as fast as possible. By the time she calls out my name, I'm already out the door, scanning the thick brush of vegetation growing unkempt. I take the most pristine rose of the bush in my hand, yanking the stem and dislodging the plant from its' holster from the plant. My finger starts to bleed where a thorn injects into my flesh.

I situate myself right back to Ally, presenting the rose to Ally as a token. Her face is coloured in a surprise and dubiousness that only follows my actions. My smile, lopsided in a mischievous grin, is beckoned when confusion dots her features.

"See this? It's a spectacular rose, perhaps the best ever fermented in your garden. And do you know what's going to happen over time? This rose will wilt, it will begin to die. And as you grow healthier and healthier – the rose will lose its' petals. See, the superficial beauties, like this rose, they don't last. They will be out once the wind changes. But you, Ally... you're so beautiful. And maybe one day you'll realise that your beauty doesn't come from a petal, a thorn or a stem – your beauty is within you, you're made of it. You glow with it every single day, and no tumour will ever take that away from you!

"So, this is my promise to you, Ally. I'll tell you this story every single day to you in hospital until you realise that what I'm saying is true. You're my best friend, and I'm not going to let you wilt."

Ally's lips purse in a saccharine smile, as she pushes herself on top of me. Her small hands wrap around me like ivy climbing up a clandestine building. Her head fits perfectly into the crook of my neck, as I hear the gentle hum of her breath, and I feel the steady beat of her heart against my chest.

For as long as her heart is attached to a heart monitor, I'll make sure that mine, although undetected, will beat for her. Because medicine won't be the thing to allow her to blossom in this time of peril– it will be love.


End file.
